Tanshin Away From Home
by Tara La'Quinn
Summary: Sasuke Uchiha-last of his ancient clan, prodigal son of Konoha-is stranded. Danger surrounds him, and allies are few and far between. What is his destiny, what choices will he make, and how will he affect the course of events in this galaxy far, far away?
1. Preface

Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto or Star Wars, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto and George Lucas respectively.

Author's Note-Well I just decided that I'm never going to get this intro perfect so I should just up-load it. And I have to say, probably the only reason I'm up-loading this story is because of the encouragement from WhyMustIWrite and KakashiKrazed who both took the time to review my last story. So thanks to you both, I really appreciate it! :)

* * *

He moved fluidly though the forest, moonlight glittered off his onyx eyes, making them seem to glow. Pausing, the figure cocked his head slightly, as though listening to the whispering breeze. And then he was moving again, this time, at a faster a pace.

The man reached his destination just in time to see the spaceship blast off, disappearing into the midnight sky.

A slight smile spread across his face, as he thought: _There goes the most troublesome Jedi. Tch, knowing them, they probably won't make it through the mission without needing to call me for backup. But then, that is why I'm staying in this system. _The thought made the figure freeze. _Since when do I back up someone like that without them asking. Or for that matter, without having any money involved. _Ignoring the voices that said he used to do it all the time, he frowned, _Looks like __I might be getting soft. Blast._

* * *

Another figure robed in brown stepped up to a holo-projector, the blue light of the screen casting an even deeper shadow over his face than his hood already did.

"Master Yoda, the troops are moving into position as we speak. They will be attacking, as planned, tomorrow at first light."

"Good, good; although sense I do, a disturbance in the Force. Be wary you must."

"I will master." The holo-projector cut out plunging the figure into darkness.

* * *

Three figures stood around a holo-table which projected the various battle plans they planned to use in the next day's confrontation. Out of the three, one in particular stood out. A tall male human, his silver hair slicked back, which added to his already lordly appearance. The dark energy that swirled around him promised untold power, wealth, and fame if only you'd chose to join him.

"Count Dooku, the invasion is going as planned; our forces will be at the city of Eridon by early tomorrow morning."

"Good. Has any-" Count Dooku, stopped mid-sentence, his hand held in the air.

"Wait." Cocking his head slightly, the aristocratic man seemed to listen to some unknown sound. His brown eyes narrowed, as they scanned the room looking for something no one could see. After a few seconds the Count turned back, "My apologies, shall we continue?" he said smoothly.

Clothed in black, the young man froze, concentrating on suppressing his presence. The man held back a sigh of relief as the Count resumed speaking. The unease that those invisible black probing fingers of the dark side might find him, vanished as quickly as it had come.

His red eyes watched every movement within the room, waiting for just the right moment. In the split second when all eyes were turned, he darted across the room to his target: the dataport.

Pulling out a connecter he quickly jacked his datapad into the Confederation mainframe. A few taps, and he was past the firewalls. Pressing another key he watched as a bar moved across the screen, representing the data being downloaded.

Moments later a smirk spread across his face. 100%: download complete. _Like taking candy from a baby._

With one last glance at the oblivious beings assembled around the holo-table, the man vanished.

* * *

Okay, the first chapter will be up-loaded in the next few days.

Please review, as this is one of my first fanfics that I've uploaded, I'm still a little bit nervous about putting out my work. I'm open to any and all constructive criticism. Be it characterization, plot, etc...

And I am looking for a Betareader, or at least someone that I can bounce ideas off of.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto or Star Wars, if I did Itachi wouldn't be dead and neither would Siri.

* * *

Kalic loved to read people, for as long as he could remember he'd been able to look at a person and tell what kind of life they had lived. Their job, their attitude, their dress, all told a story. Anyone, any species, from all walks of life. And Kalic had never been stumped…until now.

The young man sat at the end of the bar, the lights overhead cast a slight shadow over his face. One hand was casually holding his black bangs out of his face. The other hand rested on the datapad that he was intensely studying.

His black cloak made it hard to distinguish his form from the dark background. The man shifted slightly and Kalic's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of black sandals on the man's feet. He inwardly cursed the dim lights of the cantina that obscured the man's other features. The man was about as nondiscript as you could get. The closest he could profile him as was a well-traveled person. But in a galaxy where everyone flew to distant stars daily, that didn't give him much.

Kalic leaned over slightly, trying to see the young mans eyes; the eyes always told the most. It as almost as though the young man had sensed his intent, as he looked up. Kalic froze, suddenly wishing that he hadn't seen the man's eyes. They were like looking into a bottomless, icy well: cold, emotionless, lifeless pits, that, without a second thought, could easily consume you; drowning you within their depths.

Then the cold onyx eyes moved on to sweep the rest of the cantina, Kalic shuddered, and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. That man was defiantly someone to be wary of.

Reaching into his jacket, Kalic pulled out his comlink and sent a quick message to General Kenobi warning him of the stranger.

He then casually walked over to the bar counter, "Lirenth!" He called to the bartender.

"Yeah? What'd you want, Kal'?" Lirenth said; his gruff voice barely audible over the noise in the cantina.

With a small movement he gestured to the man that sat at the bar. "Have any information on him? Is he a first timer?"

Lirenth turned his back to Kalic, making a show of washing some mugs, his eyes sweeping his cantina. His back still turned, he replied, "He's been around a few times during the last few weeks. Said he was on a business trip from Tal'larin."

Kalic's eyes narrowed, while it was not unusual for business transactions to occur between Tal'larin and Kal'larin, after all they were in the same system, Kalic's last mission briefing had stated that Tal'larin had been blockaded by the Separatist. That's why he was on this mission in the first place. General Kenobi wanted him to scout out Kal'larin to see if it would make a good base of operations for the liberation of Tal'larin.

He sighed; this was getting more complicated by the minute. Moving away from the counter he returned to his seat: his head bowed, and his mind far way.

Kalic was jerked out of his thoughts by a jug of Corellian whiskey slamming down on his table. He looked up to see Lirenth's broad form. Cocking his head slightly, he asked a silent question. "That guy you were asking about," Kalic's eyes flickered to the spot where the young man had been sitting, and he let out a relieved sigh when his eyes confirmed that the man had not left. "Paid your bill, adding this onto it, and said you might need his datapad."

Kalic's eyes snapped back, then widened when they registered that the mysterious man had now vanished. "What the-" Kalic exclaimed under his breath.

How could he have disappeared so quickly! He had only looked away for a maximum of five seconds! He'd only seen a Jedi move that fast and even then… Could he be a bounty hunter? Or maybe a species that was incredibly swift, but he had looked human…

Kalic's racing mind was brought to a halt when he remembered what Lirenth had just said. _"'You might need his datapad.'" _Could he have…?

Rising hastily from his seat, Kalic walked swiftly over to the end of the bar. A small part of his mind noted that the stranger's Mulani tea was still steaming. He rapidly scanned the area around the seemingly innocent datapad. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary he hesitantly picked it up.

An unfamiliar silver symbol, looking like a cross between triangle and a curly cue revolved slowly in front of a black background. Tentatively touching the screen, still unsure if this was a trap, his eyes narrowed as he read the message inscribed there:

Codex Cube- 345x23423-34v3, lower left hand corner, press in and up.

Kalic's brow furrowed in confusion, what in star's name did that mean?

* * *

The faintest touch of smile graced the lips of a tall lithe, young man. His black cloak billowed behind him as he walked smoothly through the crowed streets, paying no heed to shops the bordered the main avenue he walked.

To any observer it seemed as though every few strides he vanished from spot where he was walking and seconds later appeared several yards ahead. Such was his skill as passing though the crowds. All the while his sparkling onyx eyes constantly scanned the surroundings, watchful for any hint of potential danger.

A loud screech drew his attention to a group of construction workers who were lifting up a crate of muja fruit, the figure was just about to look away when another site caught his eyes: A child, no more than five year old, had dropped his toy underneath where the crate swung precariously in the air.

The little toddler pulled away from his mother, hand outstretched as he reached for his toy. Another screech, followed by a loud snap was all the warning the young man got, as the crate came crashing down towards the kid.

Eyes narrowed and time seemed to slow, a thousand thoughts, and possible choices raced through his mind. But it all came down to one thing: should he expose himself?

The child decided it for him, his high-pitched scream ringing through the air, shattering the illusion of peace, bringing the figure back to reality. The young man had sworn along time ago to protect the innocent; and he would not go back on his vow now. And so he moved.

The crowds around him froze, or at least to him they seemed to. Ducking under the raised arm of a Besalisk who was arguing with a customer, the figure rapidly made his was towards the child. Sliding between two talking humans, a handstand on the hood of a land speeder turned into a front-flip sending him into a role as he landed on the hard ground. A tenth of a second later - without a hitch in his stride - he scooped up the child and his plaything and gently deposited him in his mother's outstretched arms.

To most watching it seemed as though at one second the child was about to be squashed and in the next the child rested safely in his frantic mother's arms, his earlier fear forgotten over the joy of having his plushy toy safe in his grasp once again.

But two men saw the blur that had raced through the crowd before they could even react to the scream of the child. They had felt the breeze from what looked like a human when he passed between them. The younger of the two had felt the end of the being's black cloak brush against his pants. And the older had sensed the faint whisper of the Living Force that emitted from the being's passing.

An hour later, two Jedi would receive a message from their spy, Kalic, of a mysterious young man that had vanished from Lirenth's cantina. A stranger wearing a black cloak, who had disappeared with the speed of a Jedi.

* * *

Tell me what you think, any comments, criticism, etc... are welcomed!

Thanks,

Tara


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer- Star Wars and Naruto belong to George Lucas and Masashi Kishimoto respectively, I claim no ownership over them.

Author's Note- Well I've edited, and edited, and edited, and I probably still have some mistakes, but at this point I'd say this is the best I could do. So enjoy!

* * *

Sasuke allowed a flicker of annoyance to cross his face before it once again became emotionless. What was taking his client so long? He'd been waiting here for nearly twenty minutes past the dead-line.

Releasing a resigned sigh, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Whilst he gave the appearance of someone who was going to sleep, in reality all his senses were on alert: detecting even the slightest noise.

Ten minutes later, the sound of soft foot steps approaching caused Sasuke to crack an eye open just enough to see if – yes, it was him. _About time!_ He grumbled in his head.

Sitting up, he coolly scanned the cantina; seeing no threats he relaxed…marginally. _Just because you couldn't see the enemy doesn't mean that they aren't there,_ the lazy voice of his silver-haired sensei echoed through his head.

His client slid into the seat in from of him, his clasped hands resting on the table. At Sasuke's raised eyebrow, the black haired man answered his silent question, "Sorry about the delay, there were some last minute arrangements that had to be sorted out. Bail Organa;" He said smoothly.

"Sasuke." Sasuke replied with a curt nod.

Ignoring Bail's raised eyebrow at his withholding of his last name – the Uchiha always took a bit of perverse fun in messing with the politicians – Sasuke pulled a datapad out of his cloak. Pushing it over to his client, he gave Bail a pointed look that clearly said, _Well?_

The Senator picked up the black case that was sitting beside his chair, and sliding it over to Sasuke, he asked, "I assume that's everything?"

Lifting amused black eyes from the case where they were counting credits, Sasuke replied, "Yes. Unless you have another assignment you wish me to complete?"

"No, if anything I think you should have the week off." Knowing that he probably looked like he hadn't slept in more than a week – which happened to be the case – Sasuke dismissed the hidden prompting with a grunt and a wave of his hand.

"I've been worse. Now," The dark-haired man leaned forward, and rested his hands on the table. His intense dark gaze seemed to bore into Bail's mind, seeming to know every secret he had ever hidden, "I _know_ you need another job done, and I don't have the time to waste on frivolities."

The staring contest lasted for a few seconds before Bail looked away. Releasing a tired sigh, the Senator leaned back in his chair, his eyes studying the young man in front of him. It would do him no good if his agent collapsed from exhaustion. Stone cold, black eyes stared determinedly into his own. If it weren't for his record, he wouldn't even consider sending him out again. But Sasuke was recommended by word of mouth. He was not someone that you just hired off the street. No, he was someone that you came to and _asked_ for his assistance. There was a reason why the select few that were able to hire him never had any complaints about the man. He was exceptional at getting the job done well, and once he agreed to something, he never backed down.

And so completing his examination, Bail's lips quirked up into a semblance of a smile as he made his descision. "My men weren't joking when they said you were smart…and stubborn."

Receiving no response from the stoic man in front of him he continued, "Yes, there is something we could use you for." The young man across from him smirked. A rare show of emotion if what he'd seen and his men had told him was true.

"We need an operative who can guide an infiltration team through the Separatist flagship – _Centennial _– and help sabotage her. Now I know that you prefer to work alone," Sasuke scowled, knowing that a "but" was coming. "But, we don't have time, nor someone with your skills readily on hand." Bail motioned to the datapad that still rested in the table, "Even if we have the schematics and the access codes, having someone who has been on the actual ground and who has done the actual footwork would be a great help. The team has already been assembled-"

"Hence the last minute arrangements." Sasuke interrupted sarcastically.

Raising an eyebrow, Bail nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes."

Now it was Sasuke's turn to lean back in his chair. "Who would I be escorting?" he inquired.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi and his former apprentice Anakin Skywalker."

Sasuke's scowl increased at the mention of the Jedi that were know throughout the galaxy.

"Kenobi and Skywalker, ..." Sasuke growled. _In an Order is full of meddlesome beings; Kenobi and Skywalker are the some of the worst! Those two are known for sticking their nose where it doesn't belong, and then yelping in surprise when it gets bitten off. For the greater good, ha! It's a wonder they've survived this long. _ He mentally rolled his eyes. _Hm, then again they'll need someone to make sure they don't get themselves killed...or captured. Like it or not, they actually might help us win this war. _Leaning forward slowly, he locked eyes with Bail. After a moment of silence, in which the pro's and con's battled, he came to a decision. "I accept."

* * *

Obi-Wan released a tired sigh. Even after four hours of research that included comming Master Yoda and Jocasta Nu, he was no closer to finding out who the mysterious man in the black cloak was.

Master Yoda had stated that the closest Jedi on assignment were five systems away and that said Jedi would have no reason to be anywhere near the Larin system. Jocasta had informed him in a rather displeased voice that she'd had been unable to find anything either, though she did say that she'd look into it more. The edge in her voice was one that he had heard many times over the years; Madame Nu had found a mystery that she wanted to solve. And she _would_ uncover _something_ about this mysterious person, even if Obi-Wan didn't need the information anymore.

Now if he could only find that datapad… the sound of the door sliding open with a _hiss_ pulled Obi-Wan from his thoughts. Raising his eyes from where they had been surveying his temporary quarters, he watched his apprentice, no, former apprentice, he corrected himself – stride into the room. His hair was slightly windswept and he was carrying two duffle-bags, one he identified as his, the other Anakin's.

"Master, are you still at it?" He asked in a resigned voice. "Senator Organa is waiting for us outside, I'm ready to go, and we're just waiting for you."

Rolling his eyes at the young man, Obi-Wan huffed. "The one time I'm late, everyone else happens to actually be on time." Scanning the room once again, his finally found what he'd be looking for. "Ah ha! Found it!" he exclaimed in triumph.

Reaching out a hand he _pulled_, and the datapad that had been half-way hidden under a pillow flew into his hand. "All right, my ever impatient padawan, we are now ready to go."

* * *

Next chapter will be out sometime next week...hopefully. :)

Please review, any constructive criticism, on plot, characterization, etc, is most welcomed. I really had a hard time with Obi-Wan and Sasuke and I'm not sure if I got them down right. So any comments on them would be awesome!

Tara


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer- I do not own Star Wars, nor Naruto. If I did would I be saving up my money to buy a laptop of my own? No.

Author's Note- Thanks to everyone who has subscribed, and thanks to WhyMustIWrite and Darth Lelouch for reviewing!

* * *

The soft night breeze rippled through Sasuke's cloak. The two moons and stars above illuminated the meadow before him. The silence was broken only by the sound of a Carlonowl hooting from its perch among the trees.

Frustration coursed though Sasuke's body. What in the blazes were taking the Jedi so long? The senator had assured him that they would be here within thirty minutes, it had been forty-five.

Dropping down from his perch atop a tree branch, he strode into the moonlit clearing where his ship rested. Knowing but needing to confirm, he searched the open plain for any sign of the Jedi and saw – as he expected – nothing.

Wishing – not for the first time – that Neji or Hinata were with him – or that he had their eyes – he pushed aside his frustration and took a deep breath of the crisp night air. Pushing out with his sense he found his quarry – to his minds eye they looked like two balls of bright light, steadily approaching from about two klics away, to the south.

Judging from their pace, he estimated they'd be here in about three minutes. _Well on the bright side of everything, at least that'll give me enough time to complete the pre-flight checks and make sure everything is ready before we go._ He glanced at his chrono from which the glowing numbers taunted him._ On second thought, I never really did like the bright side of things. _

Two and a half-minutes later, pre-flight check complete, Sasuke strode down his ship's ramp just in time to see the tardy Jedi step into the clearing.

Releasing a growl of annoyance, he watched as they approached. Unbidden images of what would be happening had all of Team 7 been standing with him crossed swiftly through his mind. He could almost see his sunny-haired teammate calling out in loud aggravation; hear the satisfying "thunk!" of the pink-haired kunoichi's fist atop the blonds' head, the action which would temporarily silence the ranting knucklehead. Behind them a soft chuckle would escape their silver-haired sensei's lips, even as he would give his single-eyed crescent smile. And he himself would be as he was now: arms crossed and a scowl of annoyance and slight distain fixed on his face.

Banishing the images, and the slight feeling of nostalgia that had come with them, he bowed his head in brief acknowledgement to the Jedi's arrival.

As they returned the greeting, he cocked an eyebrow, and gave them a passing sweep before speaking. "Did Senator Organa not stress the importance of being _on time_? We have a dead-line we must meet." _Even Kakashi – who's practically famous for being late – knows when to be on time. _The fact that the two Jedi didn't made Sasuke want to grind his teeth._  
_

Kenobi started to open his mouth, but Sasuke wasn't finished. Cutting off what would no doubt be a pathetic explanation with a raised hand, he continued, "I don't need your excuses, you're here. Let's go." And with that he spun on his heel and strode up the ramp.

* * *

The half-hour trip passed in silence, as their guide had disappeared into his room at the back of the ship with a quiet, "Make yourselves comfortable, but _do not_ touch anything. We will be there within the hour."

In truth there wasn't much to touch. The ship would best be described as what Anakin would call impossibly clean – meaning no clothes, datapads, datasheets, or scattered droid parts all over the floor – and Obi-Wan could already see that his former apprentice was quickly coming to dislike it.

Everything seemed to have its own place, from the neatly stacked pile of datasheets on a table in the far corner of the lounge, to the datapad resting on an end table. Looking over at Anakin, who was sitting across from him, he raised and eyebrow, a faint smile playing on his lips, "You know, this would be a great time to catch up on those mission report we haven't had time to write."

Anakin groaned and rolled his eyes, but nonetheless pulled out his datapad. With a grin, Obi-Wan did likewise and set to work.

After twenty-five minutes, that had been passed in silence, their guide walked swiftly through lounge to the cock-pit, saying briskly over his shoulder: "Get ready, we're almost there."

Ignoring Anakin's mutter of – "Not even a hello," – as they quickly put their datapads away, Obi-Wan grabbed his gear, and with a glance at Anakin who was doing the same, prepared to disembark.

* * *

As Sasuke prepared to exit hyperspace, he quickly activated the bug he had planted inside the _Centennial_.

_Let's hope this works._ If it did, then to the Separatist controllers, _Konoha's Star – _a modified Separatist ship that Sasuke had stolen a while back – would be returning from a trade run carrying an authorized shipment of supplies to the _Centennial. __  
_

_And authorization means access without questions._ Sasuke thought with a small smirk. _And if it doesn't work, well... I'll have to do some fancy flying to get out of here. _Three minutes later, Sasuke let out a sigh of relieve as _Konoha's Star _was cleared for landing.

* * *

Obi-Wan had to admit, their guide was an pretty good pilot. They had made a feather-light landing inside an maintenance bay full of supply crates, it was a landing that he wasn't sure if Anakin could have made. Their guide _– _ Sasuke _– _if Obi-Wan remembered correctly, had swiftly lead them through the maze of supplies to an empty side hallway _– _which judging from the looks of it, hadn't been used in a while.

Sasuke then turned: his face serious. "Now the plan is to create a massive explosion by sabotaging the main power relays correct?"

At the Jedi's affirmative, Sasuke continued, pulling out his datapad, "The main reactor is here," he pointed at his datapad which showed the massive structure at the center of the ship.

"There are three relays total, they are set up like a triangle around the main reactor. The first one is here," he said motioning to the datapad, "Two levels up and about ten corridors over. Five minute jog." He traced the route with his finger.

"From there the next is nine over and one up. Seven minutes. The last is towards the front of the ship, almost directly below the command center. We'll have to go up a level and then come back down." He tapped the screen, and it zoomed in, showing the interior workings of the ship. "And due to the amount of traffic near the last relay, we'll be using the air ducts to get there. No predetermined time. Got it?" Sasuke said looking up.

An amused glance at his former apprentice showed Obi-Wan that he has a faint look of mocking disbelief on his face. Obi-Wan could concur. Other than a few murmured words with some grunts and hms thrown in, their guide had barely spoken a sentence since they had met. But he had to hand it to the black haired young man, his briefing had been short, precise, and to the point: no wasted words. It had been from someone who knew what they were doing. And he-

"I said: got it?" Their guide interrupted his musings, a hint of annoyance coloring his voice.

"Yes." Anakin and Obi-Wan replied in unison, looking at each other as they did so.

Sasuke looked them over with his skeptical black eyes, and they almost seemed to say: we'll see about that. "Hm." He turned away. "Let's go then."

* * *

Thoughts anyone? Once again, how did I do with characterization of Obi-Wan and Sasuke? And Anakin?

Tara


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer- I own neither Naruto or Star Wars. (Short and sweet, that's how I like it.)

Author's Note- First of thank you so much for everyone who had reviewed, subscribed, and favorited! And second, I'm really sorry for not uploading this chapter sooner. I've been juggling lacrosse practice, which is for days a week (not counting games) with a boatload of homework, that unfortunately I can't just ignore. Also I've been doing a lot of editing with this chapter, and I just couldn't get it like I wanted it to be. I finally decided that this was as good as it's going to get, so I'm now uploading.

Cheers! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

He knew Anakin was hiding a grin behind his emotionless Jedi façade. In fact he could practically feel his companion's starting to savor triumph over their training bond. Obi-Wan sighed before giving a mental swat to his partner and a gentle reminder to stay in the moment. Anakin's grimace showed he had received the message loud and clear.

But the Jedi Master could sympathize. The mission had gone very well so far, some would say too well. Other than a time when a squad of tech droids had almost walked in as they were setting the charges on the second relay, they had practically waltzed into the last two stations. Obi-Wan brow furrowed in thought. Their successes could very well be attributed to their guide who had unfailingly led them though the ship.

It seemed the dark-haired had memorized all the passages that didn't have surveillance or security check points. In the times were they did have to cross a corridor that had surveillance, it seem that there was always a group of _something_ that covered their movements; from a group of super battle droids reporting to one of the hangers, to a piece of heavy equipment that was being moved.

Obi-Wan frowned, it was almost disconcerting, the way he seemed to sense any enemies' presence even before Obi-Wan picked it up. He couldn't count the many times where their guide had held up a hand for them to stop, or yanked them into the shadows moments before a soundless probe or cleaning droid had scurried by.

So twelve minutes later the charges had been set and they were on their way to the last relay.

* * *

Sasuke motioned with his hand before jumping out of the airduct and down onto a ledge and into the shadows behind a large pillar. Crouching down, he didn't even look when he heard the Jedi land behind him. Something wasn't right.

The ledge he had landed on encircled the entire room. Where they crouched, they were almost directly above the entrance to the room. At the far end of a long corridor, was the relay. Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Something was definitely wrong. He had been expecting techs and repair droid to be running around. They _were_ right below the control room.

The dark-haired man had saved this room for last due to the expected mass enemy presence. He'd been planning on charging in with weapons drawn, with a whole army of droids awaiting their arrival. But looking around…there was nothing. No indication of enemy presence. It smelled, heck, it _looked_ like a trap.

Making sure his hood was all the way up, Sasuke concentrated, and for a second his eyes flashed red. That brief moment was all he needed.

Sasuke's lips quirked up slightly in a semblance of a smirk. _Gotcha_.

Hidden deep in the shadows next the power relay, a dark presence shielded itself along with a platoon of super battle droids. The being may be able to hide with the Force, but the Force was energy. But the Sharingan sees everything…well almost. In truth the trap didn't surprised him as much as it might have had.

Alone, he would have had _no_ problems completing this mission without being detected. But having to escort two people – even if they were Jedi – without having the advantage of using his shinobi abilities…. he would have been very surprised if the Separatist didn't pick up the one time he had been sloppy and had allowed Skywalker to take the lead for a second. If he had destroyed the security camera then, they might not have made it this far, and there had been the chance that the flutter of Skywalker's cape hadn't been noticed by those that were watching the monitors. _Fat chance that happened._

Beside that one fact, he wasn't foolish enough to think that the tech droids wouldn't notice the charges on the last two relays – charges that couldn't be removed without exploding. Nor that they had systematically been hitting the power-relays and that this was the last one before the ship with off with a boom. No…some form of attack was expected.

The shinobi glanced at the Jedi, Kenobi had a frown of concentration on his face, and Skywalker was fingering his lightsaber, as if anticipating a battle. Feeling Sasuke's gaze on him, Kenobi looked at man.

Sasuke motioned to the shadows, let out a faint sigh of relief when Obi-Wan nodded in confirmation that they saw the trap. _Well at least it looks like they have some deduction skills. Maybe they won't be completely useless. _

Sasuke's hands flashed through signals. _Spring the trap?_ His hands asked.

"We don't have much of a choice." Kenobi whispered. Sasuke nodded in consent.

Leaning over Sasuke murmured softly, "We will go in as if nothing is amiss. They will probably attack as soon as or right before we've placed the charge. Be ready."

Barely waiting for a response, Sasuke jumped off the ledge – knowing they would follow – and landed onto the ground below in a crouch. The quiet hum of the relay, and soft footsteps as they walked were the only sounds that broke the oppressive silence.

Only those who knew him could tell that Sasuke was excited. It was the slightest spring in his step, the slight sparkle of anticipation in his eyes, and the small curve of a corner of his lips.

The young man hadn't been in a real battle for almost a month. Training helped, but a real battle? The thrill of coming a hair's breathe away from death, of using each and every skill in your arsenal, just to stay alive for another second? No, that was not something that could be duplicated.

And while this probably wouldn't be a battle that needed all of his skills, to even use a few… that was definitely something. But with practiced ease he pushed the emotions behind his detached mask. It wasn't a time to act the part of a genin going on his first mission.

Reaching the relay he spared a look at Skywalker and saw that he was already planting the charge. A faint rustle of clothing alerted Sasuke, who immediately threw a fleeting look at Kenobi.

At the Jedi Master's small nod, he spun, pulling a kunai from his belt. The Jedi Master followed suit, his blue lightsaber blazing to life as a figure stepped out of the shadows.

"Greetings friends. I have been waiting for you."

Sasuke grinned. _Finally._

* * *

The next chapter is already written, it just needs some editing before being up-loaded, probably on Monday or Tuesday. Although I might do it sooner if I have enough time.

Please tell me what you think, this was definitely a chapter I struggled with! Any comments on my characterization of Sasuke, Obi-Wan, and Anakin or the plot are much appreciated!

Tara

Oh, and I hope you all have a joyous Easter!


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer- I own neither Star Wars nor Naruto, if I did, I'd be a millionaire.

Author's Note- When I say that I'd upload on Monday or Tuesday, you did realize it'd be two weeks later, right? *smiles sheepishly*. I'm really sorry about not uploading sooner, when I said I'd upload two weeks ago, I neglected to remember that I was going on vacation for my brother's spring break. I actually just got back about a week ago, and during vacation and since I've come back I haven't had anytime to work on Tanshin. But I'm _finally _done editing, and here it is. I believe that it is twice the length of my previous chapter, cheers!

Enjoy, and thanks to all that subscribed, reviewed, and favorited.

* * *

"Dooku!" Anakin spat the name from his lips, turning to let his fiery eyes rest on the Count, in hopes of burning a hole through the man's scull.

Obi-Wan shot a warning glance at Anakin, even as the Count and twenty battle droids walked into view. The count didn't even spare the Jedi a glance, though. No it seemed he had eyes only for their guide. The young man didn't look fazed at the attention, if anything he seemed to relax even more. Obi-Wan's eyebrows rose as he watched the silent face-off. He really hadn't been expecting the stoic man to lose his nerve, but still, the guide beside him didn't tense in the slightest.

That was surprising… Almost anyone he knew would have moved at least slightly under the powerful stare of the leader of the Separatist movement, if only to prepare for a battle. But Sasuke…his cold onyx eyes met the Count's stare head on, unflinchingly, even a tad bit defiantly. _Interesting_.

The Count's brown eyes swept back to the Jedi, "Well, well, well. What do we have here? Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his young apprentice Anakin Skywalker," The Count's smooth voice rang through the silent room.

Anakin stiffened faintly and before he could say anything Dooku continued, "Oh, my apologies;" the Sith gave a small mocking bow, "it's Jedi_ Knight_ Anakin Skywalker." he drawled.

Dooku turned, throwing a challenging look at the last unnamed man. "And who's this? Surely "the Negotiator" and the "Hero with no Fear" don't need a second-rate guide to lead them by-the-hand through a simple sabotage mission."

Sasuke's face remained its usual emotionless mask, refusing the take the bait. Upon seeing no response from his jab, Dooku simply chuckled, "The Jedi standards have certainly dropped." With a flourish, Dooku's lightsaber appeared in his hand. "Let's see how far."

Their guide glanced at Obi-Wan, "I'll take the droids, and I assume you both want the Count?" Obi-Wan shot an unsure look at their guide, asking if he could really take cared of twenty super battle droids. The young man gave a confident nod to Obi-Wan's silent query.

Obi-Wan shrugged. Bail wouldn't have hired the man for this mission if he couldn't handle himself. The Jedi Master didn't need to glance at Anakin to know that his answer was a yes, and it seemed neither did Sasuke. "Well then. Let's get to it."

Anakin didn't need Sasuke's prompting as he immediately charged at the Sith, lightsaber drawn and Obi-Wan at his heels.

Sasuke rolled his eyes in exasperation as he spun to face his adversaries. _Tch, typical foolishness. Charging in like that, allowing him to manipulate him, it's a wonder he isn't dead yet._

* * *

Amethyst clashed with crimson at Obi-Wan and Anakin attack in unison. Obi-Wan ducked as the Force whispered to him, and Anakin's blade swept over his head. At the same time his own blade shot out, clipping Dooku's boot as he blocked Anakin's blade and jumped over Obi-Wan's. Continuing to assail the grey-haired man, the Jedi drove him back under the flurry of swirling blades.

* * *

Sasuke leapt and, spinning in midair, managed to avoid the blaster bolt that would have nailed him in the back. A flick of his wrist had an electrified kunai embedded in the chest of the droid who had attacked him. It went down with a crash.

Landing on one hand, his chakra-enforced foot kicked out, nailing a droid that had gotten to close. It flew backward taking out two more of its kind. _Four droids down._

The scent of burned clothing reaching Sasuke's nose, and he frowned as he avoided yet another bolt of energy. Barely. It had ripped through the edge of his cloak, leaving a nice round hole.

_That should never have happened._ He knew that fighting without any of the skills or speed that he had been trained to use would be hard, but to allow a blaster bolt that close to him was unacceptable; he should be able to do better.

In one smooth motion he whirled, drawing his custom-made vibrosword. It cracked with blue energy, and Sasuke sighed slightly, wishing just for a moment he had Kusanagi's familiar weight in his hand, but the moment was over and he was stepping to the side, red bolts flashing by him. He sprinted forward. Drawing the blade across his body, he sliced through three battle droids, rolling to the side he sprang to his feet, decapitating two more machines in a smooth movement.

A brief brush, a brief whisper, and Sasuke jump to the side, his body unconsciously listening to presence that told him to _move!_ A nanosecond later a wrist rocket hit the floor where he had stood, leaving a nice sized crater.

Had he been anyone else he would have been sweating from the close call, but as was he was already moving. Rolling to his feet, he flowed between two droids, taking them down with two simultaneous cuts from his kunai. They landed with a crash, another whisper in his mind, and without a thought he spun, foot sweeping out and up.

Sasuke smirked. Just as he wanted. The force from his roundhouse caused the approaching droid to fly into another droid who was attempting to attack from behind.

Leaping ahead to face the next threat, Sasuke hesitated, a startled cry drawing his attention to the Jedi Knight that had been Force pushed by Count Dooku and was now flying through the air. The Uchiha wavered, knowing the Knight should be fully capable of landing without being hurt. But then a long ingrained lesson pushed itself into Sasuke's mind. _Always have your teammate's back. _– _Even if it's temorary. _–Sasuke added mentally._ Better to be safe than sorry. You never know if a landing is good until your feet touch the ground, and by then, it could be to late. _The disoriented look on Skywalker's face made his decision. The Jedi wouldn't make a smooth landing.

Spinning to a halt, Sasuke pivoted and pushed off; reaching the Knight moments before he would have impacted the ground.

The weight of Skywalker's body collided with Sasuke's, and sent them skidding back several feet. Another whisper in his mind that had nothing to do with his years of fighting caused him to look up. The shinobi barely had time to shove the stunned Jedi away and role away himself before the wrist rocket that was flying towards them hit the ground where they had been seconds before.

The quick movement wasn't fast enough – the shrapnel from the blast peppered Sasuke, ripping through his cloak and leaving a gash across one of his cheeks. Ignoring the blood that started to drip from the wound, he looked over to Skywalker, and saw he was already running back to assist his former master in his battle with the Count.

Sasuke glanced at his chrono, and saw they had five minutes before the charges activated, and then another three minutes before the overload was too much for the main reactor and the ship exploded. He cursed, if they didn't get out of this battle within two minutes, there would be no chance of getting to their ship before the _Centennial _blew.

He surveyed the battlefield, finding seven droids left. Reaching into a weapon's pouch on his belt, he pulled three round, flat disks the size of shuriken. "No time like the present to test these things." He muttered under his breath.

Even as he rolled to the side to avoid yet another wrist rocket, he threw the disks. _Clive, these had better work. _Upon impact with his targets, the disks ripped open, released an electrical shockwave.

The blue energy spread out in a six meter radius and within seconds, the group of droids were on the ground twitching. _Well what do you know, it actually did work. And I'm still around to see the results._ He thought wryly.

Releasing a breath, he turned his attention to the ongoing battle between the Jedi and Sith. It seemed neither side was gaining any ground. He frowned; _Time to break up the party._

* * *

Anakin's face was a mask of fierce concentration as he attacked and defended as one, with the man he still considered his master. Jumping over a sweeping blade, he moved his lightsaber to parry a strike to his side, moments later dropping down to avoid another attack and thrust out his blade, hoping to strike at the Count's legs. A slight signal from Obi-Wan and he adjusted his strike to a swing, even as Obi-Wan's blade swung at the Count's unprotected side.

The Count blocked Anakin's blade, and smoothly spun away from Obi-Wan's lightsaber. Leaping backward, Dooku causally raised a hand, and the two Jedi barely had time to prepare, before Force lightning sprang from his hands.

The blue energy diffused as it hit the Jedi's waiting blades, and Anakin smirked. "Why use such an attack surely-" Anakin's taunt was interrupted by the "thunk" of what looked like a knife imbedding in the ground at the Count's feet.

A hissing sound fill the air and the Count's eyes widened as he jumped backward. In the next second the knife exploded, the blast wave sending both the Jedi and Dooku flying.

Anakin snarled, and even as he was landing, he looked, trying to spot the source of the attack. He didn't have to look far as he spotted their guide running up to them.

"What do you think you're doing?!" The black haired man raised a questioning eyebrow that had Anakin's blood boiling.

"You could have killed us!"

The black-haired man merely smirked, "You're alive aren't you?"

"Anakin, this is not the time for this!" Obi-Wan intervened, stepping between the two. The blond gritted his teeth but stepped back. Looking around at the room that was empty except for various droids that were out of commission, Anakin asked, "Where's Dooku?"

"He's gone, and we should be to." Obi-Wan replied curtly, already moving away, following their guide out of the room.

* * *

Sasuke sprinted ahead of the jogging Jedi as soon as they neared the hanger where his ship rested. Dashing through the maze of crates, he pressed a button on his wristband, and even as he entered the small clearing that held his ship, the ramp of his ship was coming down.

No sooner that he'd sprang aboard, and was out of site from the Jedi, that Sasuke's hands formed a well used ram seal. He appeared in the cock-pit in the midst of smoke, and moments later his hands were flying over the controls.

By the time the Jedi entered the cockpit ten seconds later, he was ready to take off. And just in time too; as his internal clock had reached its final seconds.

Ten, he fired up the engines.

Nine, he fired the ioncannons, blowing a whole in the blast doors, and destroying the internal shield generators, making the hanger a vacuum.

Six, in the midst of cargo being ejected into space, the ship blasted away from the hanger, the engines being pushed to their maximum capabilities.

Three, Sasuke activated the shields, and the secondary one he had installed two weeks prior.

Two, the Jedi and Sasuke braced themselves.

One. The blast wracked their ship, the shockwave sending them spinning off into space. Sasuke growled, as he fought to regain control over his ship. After a brief struggle, he was able to stabilize, and as the adrenaline started to fade, Sasuke leaned back in his chair with a sigh. All he wanted at that moment was to plan a _very long_ vacation on some far off tropical planet. _That was way too close._

* * *

Please review, tell me what you think. How was my characterization of Anakin? And what about the fight scene? I had some problems with it, so tell me how you think it turned out!

Tara

P.S. Almost forgot. I will not be uploading a new chapter anytime soon. I've been swamped with homework, and between that and sports I won't be able to devote much time to Tanshin. I will still be writing it, but I won't have time to edit the chapters. I am not in any way, shape, or form abandoning this story. I will probably upload chapters at random times, and I while I wish I could do it at least once a week consistantly, homework has to come first. At least I'm not leaving you at a cliffhanger! (I did think about it.) :)

P.S.S. If I haven't replied to your review from the last chapter, rest assured I will very soon.

To Takai- Thanks for the review! It's nice to know that I'm not the only person in the fanfic world that believes a story does not have to revolve around a pairing! Seriously, sometimes it drives me nuts! Can't people just be friends?! I mean, just because a guy is hot, has awesome skill etc... does not mean that he has to be hooked up with anyone! Especially when they're only like twelve years old! *sigh* (okay, sorry, rant over.) I'm not opposed to pairings, I've actually read some pretty good stories with them in it, even so...

Anyways, I actually did try to do someone other than Sasuke, originally it was going to be Itachi. But that just didn't work, and so finally I dragged Sasuke into the story instead. Ah well. Your review was very encouraging, and I really appreciated it!

To Nayami- Glad you like the story! Hope you like this chapter! Tell me if you do.

Tara


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto or Star Wars, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto and George Lucas respectively.

Took me long enough to update, eh? Well sorry about that, but I'm actually _very _glad that I did, otherwise this chapter - which I had a great time writing, and which I really think adds to the arc/story - would likely never have existed. Also this time away from writing, has also given me a lot of time to look over Tanshin and to fill in all the plot holes and gaps in my outline, and to make some major changes, which I am very glad I took time to do, otherwise the story definitely wouldn't be as good as I'm hoping it will be.

Thank you all for your patience and support - the reviews have been _so_ nice to read and have been a great encouragement when I'm stuck and don't feel like writing anything more! And also, thanks so much Ella Klarsfeld for Betaing, you're SO awesome!

And here's the next chapter of Tanshin, kinda a setup for my next arc - hope you like it! Review!

* * *

Oxygen came in harsh labored breaths – his lungs began to burn. The sharp thunder of feet pounded down the corridor behind him. Would this chase never end? Sweat dripped down his face, stinging his eyes. He hadn't expected to exert much physical energy on this mission at all, yet here he was literally sprinting for his life. _That's what I get for actually expecting a mission to go as planned. Should've known better. _

A shout rattled his pensive ears as his pursuers caught sight of him. They must've seen his cloak flutter around the last corner. _Great._ Summoning the Force and whatever additional speed he could, the man ducked around another corner, shot down the hall, yanked open a door and spun inside.

The door clicked shut as the man completed his spin and threw himself against it. Slouching against the icy metal with his chest heaving madly; it took an extra second for the man to collect himself and reach out with his senses. But only a second. A small smile touched his lips as he found the ten guards that were just rounding the last corner.

With a light _push_, a gentle whisper of persuasion was placed in the lead guard's mind. A cloak flickered where there was none, and with a shout they raced past his position, never pausing, as the influenced man pointed at the phantom placed in his mind.

As they faded from sound and senses the cloaked man bent over, letting his gasping breaths even out. Closing his eyes, he began a mental count to one hundred. Getting caught by a few stragglers was the last thing he needed right now.

Waiting, unfortunately, gave the cloaked man some time to think, and with his thoughts came worry. His last glimpse of his partner had been when they'd split up. A grimace contorted his forehead and with a sigh he closed his eyes, gritting his teeth in irritation. How could things have changed so fast? Just when it had seemed like they'd been making headway in their negotiations, _BAM, _things had gone super nova. The guards had poured in with a warrant for arrest, scattering the government officials they had been talking to like broken glass as they searched for the two diplomats. He had dashed out of the room, and he had thought his companion had done likewise, but the last glimpse he had gotten of his friend before the guards began the chase had him penned in between confused officials and angry soldiers. If those guards were anywhere near as determined as his pursuers, he doubted that his dear friend had found a way out. _But..._ His mind latched on to the thought, the hope – _he is resourceful... _That spark was all he needed._  
_

_So how many will it make if I rescue you this time? Five times you owe me? And just when I_ _think you've finally matured and buried that habit of getting into unnecessary trouble. _The thought sparked a long forgotten memory and a wry grin managed to escape from the man despite his worry. _No, actually, _images flashed through his head, _it's probably more like six after that ridiculous stunt you pulled all those years back on Orentar. Come to think of it, I have yet to give you a good whack for that. _

Dashing through that tropical forest with a hundred offended natives on his tail, screaming for help like a child the whole way…the man couldn't help but laugh. His friend certainly knew how to make a spectacle of himself. Though it had all begun with the mindless mistake of a novice- insulting the native's prized fruit- he had made a professional mess out of the situation by running into the forest rather than Force jumping across to the safety of the nearby cliffs. For such an admirable man and Jedi, his friend certainly knew how to play the fool and make a royal mess of seemingly simple situations. But they always seemed to get out and have plenty to laugh about on the ride home. Or rather, _he _had plenty to laugh about; his friend would still be sulking.

The man's quiet chuckle fizzled off into a reluctant sigh. Despite their knack for wriggling out of impossible situations, he truly doubted that he would be able to give his friend that deserved whack. He had been trying to stoically ignore the looming possibility, but his mind kept zeroing in on it like a homing device fixated on its target.

For all their close calls, all those times they were so close to death they could kiss it, not once had he felt such a cruel chill rack his body when he considered the odds. And not once had the Force remained so eerily silent when his friend was in danger. These guards were hungry for their quarry, and his friend was caught dead in their sights. Emphasis on dead. No, if fate had its way he would not live past today.

But dwelling on dark thoughts only made reality dimmer. He had no room for another black cloud in his mind, and nor was he one to let fate rule his life, or the lives of his friends for that matter. No, he had to press on. He had no proof that his friend was dead, and until he did, he would seek him out relentlessly. He would rescue the fool, no matter what he might encounter. There is never any rest for the righteous. His stiff muscles groaned as he rose to his feet. _Or weary._

With a huff, the man gently spread out his senses, feeling for anyone approaching his position. Finding nothing he eased open the door, glancing to the left then the right. Still seeing nothing, the man slipped out, his boots making no more than a whisper on the hard durasteel.

* * *

They were gaining on him. He'd been running too long, but with an oozing wound from a blaster bolt that had come a little _too _close, losing them was proving to be impossible.

Left, right, down the hall, another turn, the gray corridors were starting to blur in his mind. The only thing that told him that he was _not_ running in circles was the changing numbers on the hallways.

Something felt wrong. Warning sirens blared in his skull but his momentum kept him skidding around the corner, and by the time his feet stilled themselves it was too late. His eyes widening as his stomach sank with dread. Rank upon rank of Super Battle Droids filled the hanger he had stumbled into, waiting for him, their weapons drawn and ready to fire. And behind them…behind them, plastered tall and proud on a C-9979 landing craft was the Separatist insignia. He sensed the breathless guards round the corner, drawing their weapons just before he came into sight.

He was frozen, his mind racing at a hundred parsecs a minute as realization after realization hit him. There could be no doubt about it. _It's too late, they got there first._ They weren't just chasing a suspicious person, for there had been no gasp of surprise from the pursuing guards, no slack-jawed expression as they witnessed the army before them. The throbbing returned, reminding him of the wound in his side. _And that blaster was definitely _not _set on stun._

Knowledge hardened into fact. _They know who I am. _He grimaced, dark memories flashing through his mind. There was _no _way the Separatists _didn't know_, not after everything he'd done. He sighed, resigning himself to the inevitable. All he could hope for was that Garen had escaped and was contacting the Temple. He was done. But accepting the inevitability of death did not necessitate immediate surrender. Resignation turned into steel that gleamed in the man's green eyes, and his lips curled back in a deadly smirk as cool, familiar metal slipped into his sweaty hands, filling him with comforting relief_. _He'd go down, but not without a fight.

* * *

Smoking droid parts lay scattered around him in piles so dense he could scarcely walk among them, but still they kept coming. When one fell to his sweeping emerald blade, three others stepped into his place. There was only so much the human body could be pressed, and he was pushing his stamina to the limit. It wouldn't be long now.

Sweat drenched his tunic, his muscles throbbed so hard he could almost hear their beat, and his mind, his reflexes were beginning to slow. He could remember nothing but his present task: destroy the droids. Even those details were growing fuzzy. At this point, not even the Force could refresh his body. His end was near. Spinning to face yet another volley of blaster bolts, his body finally gave out as his foot caught the edge of a dismembered droid. He tripped, falling right into the path of three blaster bolts.

Panic seized him, and with a desperate surge of adrenaline he managed to twist his body._ Just enough-!_ The bolts hit. Two thudded into his leg and the other into his left shoulder, barely missing his heart. Even as pain roared through his body, the Jedi breathed a sigh of relief. He had avoided death…for now.

He lay there for a second, simply heaving in a few precious breaths, unable to sense much else. Then he heard it: but the clatter of metal hitting durasteel registered too late. Blaster bolts flashed towards him and his fingers desperately tried to grab the handle of his lightsaber that had tumbled from his numb grasp.

Timed slowed as the man stretched to reach his only defense, the threat closing the distance. His fingers batted empty air. _Too quickly. I'm not going to get to it soon enough. _And with his body numbed from the pain, utterly exhausted and steadily bleeding, there was no way that he'd be able to move.

With one last effort, the Jedi fought to calm his mind, tried to ignore the burning pain that seared through his arm, and reached out– just for a moment he _grasped_ with the Force, what precious little he could gather, and his weapon inched towards him.

_Almost there, just a bit more…_ His fingers brushed the silver pommel and then…

Pain. Mind numbing pain lanced through his arm, shattering his hard won concentration as the first bolt slammed into his outstretched arm, ceasing its desperate fumbling grasps.

With no time to draw up the broken pieces of his focus the Jedi's green eyes narrowed as they watched the killing bolts fly home. There was no avoiding their current trajectory.

The first would rip through his heart, tearing apart flesh, arteries, and vitals, the second would nail him in left lung, ensuring that even if the heart shot missed, his would drown on his own blood. The last would nail him in the throat, cutting across it, hitting his jugular just for good measure. Instant death.

But the dark-haired man simply did not understand defeat or death. Even though his feeble efforts would amount to nothing, he forced his agonizing body to move. If it was only an inch, it was a victory. He would die a hero's death, fighting for a valiant cause right until the bitter end. It was nothing like the heroic death he had so grandly imagined, but he would achieve it in principle and spirit.

His body inched lethargically, despite his silent screams for his muscles to move. The lethal bolts of red energy flashed towards him. The milliseconds flashed away, and even as he struggled he knew, innately, that his efforts were futile. With green eyes wide open he watched his end approach on red wings…they were only a meter away…centimeters…millimeters…his lips parted, mouthing a silent goodbye as he braced for the final impact. That never came…

"Enough!" Two blurs of a crimson blade filled his vision, intercepting the deadly bolts, sending them crashing into a far wall.

_What the-? _He wrestled for consciousness, trying to see why he still breathed, but he only heard a harsh growl bark out "I want him alive."

The last thing he felt before an irresistible wave of exhaustion and pain crashed over him, pulling him into unconsciousness, were the horrible shivers racing down his spine.

* * *

How'd you like it? Any guesses as to who the characters are? Tell me what you think, I welcome any and all constructive criticism, whether it be plot, characterization (though you won't have much to go on for this chapter), grammar, etc...

Note: Okay, I have a lot of this upcoming arc typed up already, so the next chapter should be up pretty soon (hopefully), but school is - very unfortunately - starting up again, so I won't have a ton of time to write, but I _will _be devoting a lot of my free time - what little I'll have - to getting regular updates for Tanshin.

'Later, :)

Tara


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